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Slone uncoiled the lassoes from the pommel and slacked them a little。 Wildfire
stood up； striking at the air； snorting fiercely。 Slone tried to wheel Nagger
in close behind the stallion。 Both horse and man narrowly escaped the vicious
hoofs。 But Slone had closed in。 He took a desperate chance and spurred Nagger
in a single leap as Wildfire reared again。 The horses collided。 Slone hauled
the lassoes tight。 The impact threw Wildfire off his balance； just as Slone
had calculated； and as the stallion plunged down on four feet Slone spurred
Nagger close against him。 Wildfire was a little in the lead。 He could only
half rear now； for the heaving； moving Nagger； always against him； jostled him
down； and Slone's iron arm hauled on the short ropes。 When Wildfire turned to
bite； Slone knocked the vicious nose back with a long swing of his fist。
Up the pass the horses plunged。 With a rider's wild joy Slone saw the long
green…and…gray valley； and the isolated monuments in the distance。 There； on
that wide stretch； he would break Wildfire。 How marvelously luck had favored
him at the last！
〃Run； you red devil！〃 Slone called。 〃Drag us around now till you're done！〃
They left the pass and swept out upon the waste of sage。 Slone realized； from
the stinging of the sweet wind in his face； that Nagger was being pulled along
at a tremendous pace。 The faithful black could never have made the wind cut
so。 Lower the wild stallion stretched and swifter he ran； till it seemed to
Slone that death must end that thunderbolt race。
CHAPTER VIII
Lucy Bostil had called twice to her father and he had not answered。 He was out
at the hitching…rail； with Holley； the rider； and two other men。 If he heard
Lucy he gave no sign of it。 She had on her chaps and did not care to go any
farther than the door where she stood。
〃Somers has gone to Durango an' Shugrue is out huntin' hosses；〃 Lucy heard
Bostil say； gruffly。
〃Wal now； I reckon I could handle the boat an' fetch Creech's hosses over；〃
said Holley。
Bostil raised an impatient hand； as if to wave aside Holley's assumption。
Then one of the other two men spoke up。 Lucy had seen him before； but did not
know his name。
〃Sure there ain't any need to rustle the job。 The river hain't showed any
signs of risin' yet。 But Creech is worryin'。 He allus is worryin' over them
hosses。 No wonder！ Thet Blue Roan is sure a hoss。 Yesterday at two miles he
showed Creech he was a sight faster than last year。 The grass is gone over
there。 Creech is grainin' his stock these last few days。 An' thet's
expensive。〃
〃How about the flat up the canyon？〃 queried Bostil。 〃Ain't there any grass
there？〃
〃Reckon not。 It's the dryest spell Creech ever had；〃 replied the other。 〃An'
if there was grass it wouldn't do him no good。 A landslide blocked the only
trail up。〃
〃Bostil； them hosses； the racers special； ought to be brought acrost the
river；〃 said Holley； earnestly。 He loved horses and was thinking of them。
〃The boat's got to be patched up；〃 replied Bostil； shortly。
It occurred to Lucy that her father was also thinking of Creech's
thoroughbreds； but not like Holley。 She grew grave and listened intently。
There was an awkward pause。 Creech's rider； whoever he was； evidently tried to
conceal his anxiety。 He flicked his boots with a quirt。 The boots were covered
with wet mud。 Probably he had crossed the river very recently。
〃Wal； when will you have the hosses fetched over？〃 he asked； deliberately。
〃Creech'll want to know。〃
〃Just as soon as the boat's mended；〃 replied Bostil。 〃I'll put Shugrue on the
job to…morrow。〃
〃Thanks； Bostil。 Sure； thet'll be all right。 Creech'll be satisfied；〃 said the
rider； as if relieved。 Then he mounted； and with his companion trotted down
the lane。
The lean； gray Holley bent a keen gaze upon Bostil。 But Bostil did not notice
that； he appeared preoccupied in thought。
〃Bostil； the dry winter an' spring here ain't any guarantee thet there wasn't
a lot of snow up in the mountains。〃 Holley's remark startled Bostil。
〃Noit ain'tsure； 〃 he replied。
〃An' any mornin' along now we might wake up to hear the Colorado boomin'；〃
went on Holley； significantly。
Bostil did not reply to that。
〃Creech hain't lived over there so many years。 What's he know about the river？
An' fer that matter； who knows anythin' sure about thet hell…bent river？〃
〃It ain't my business thet Creech lives over there riskin' his stock every
spring；〃 replied Bostil； darkly。
Holley opened his lips to speak； hesitated； looked away from Bostil； and
finally said； 〃No； it sure ain't。〃 Then he turned and walked away； head bent
in sober thought。 Bostil came toward the open door where Lucy stood。 He looked
somber。 At her greeting he seemed startled。
〃What？〃 he said。
〃I just said； 'Hello； Dad；'〃 she replied； demurely。 Yet she thoughtfully
studied her father's dark face。
〃Hello yourself。 。 。 。 Did you know Van got throwed an' hurt？〃
〃Yes。〃
Bostil swore under his breath。 〃There ain't any riders on the range thet can
be trusted；〃 he said； disgustedly。 〃They're all the same。 They like to get in
a bunch an' jeer each other an' bet。 They want MEAN hosses。 They make good
hosses buck。 They haven't any use for a hoss thet won't buck。 They all want to
give a hoss a rakin' over。 。 。 。 Think of thet fool Van gettin' throwed by a
two…dollar Ute mustang。 An' hurt so he can't ride for days！ With them races
comin' soon！ It makes me sick。〃
〃Dad； weren't you a rider once？〃 asked Lucy。
〃I never was thet kind。〃
〃Van will be all right in a few days。〃
〃No matter。 It's bad business。 If I had any other rider who could handle the
King I'd let Van go。〃
〃I can get just as much out of the King as Van can；〃 said Lucy； spiritedly。
〃You！〃 exclaimed Bostil。 But there was pride in his glance。
〃I know I can。〃
〃You never had any use for Sage King；〃 said Bostil； as if he had been wronged。
〃I love the King a little； and hate him a lot；〃 laughed Lucy。
〃Wal； I might let you ride at thet； if Van ain't in shape；〃 rejoined her
father。
〃I wouldn't ride him in the race。 But I'll keep him in fine fettle。〃
〃I'll bet you'd like to see Sarch beat him；〃 said Bostil； jealously。
〃Sure I would；〃 replied Lucy； teasingly。 〃But； Dad； I'm afraid Sarch never
will beat him。〃
Bostil grunted。 〃See here。 I don't want any weight up on the King。 You take
him out for a few days。 An' ride him！ Savvy thet？〃
〃Yes； Dad。〃
〃Give him miles an' milesan' then comin' home； on good trails； ride him for
all your worth。 。 。 。 Now； Lucy； keep your eye open。 Don't let any one get
near you on the sage。〃
〃I won't。 。 。 。 Dad； do you still worry about poor Joel Creech？〃
〃Not Joel。 But I'd rather lose all my stock then have Cordts or Dick Sears get
within a mile of you。〃
〃A mile！〃 exclaimed Lucy； lightly； though a fleeting shade crossed her face。
〃Why； I'd run away from him； if I was on the King； even if he got within ten
yards of me。〃
〃A mile is close enough； my daughter；〃 replied Bostil。 〃Don't ever forget to
keep your eye open。 Cordts has sworn thet if he can't steal the King he'll get
you。
〃Oh！ he prefers the horse to me。〃
〃Wal； Lucy； I've a sneakin' idea thet Cordts will never leave the uplands
unless he gets you an' the King both。〃
〃And； Dadyou consented to let that horse…thief come to our races？〃 exclaimed
Lucy； with heat。
〃Why not？ He can't do any harm。 If he or his men get uppish； the worse for
them。 Cordts gave his word not to turn a trick till after the races。〃
〃Do you trust him？〃
〃Yes。 But his men might break loose； away from his sight。 Especially thet Dick
Sears。 He's a bad man。 So be watchful whenever you ride out。〃
As Lucy went down toward the corrals she was thinking deeply。 She could always
tell； woman…like。 when her father was excited or agitated。 She remembered the
conversation between him and Creech's rider。 She remembered the keen glance
old Holley had bent upon him。 And mostly she remembered the somber look upon
his face。 She did not like that。 Once； when a little girl； she had seen it and
never forgotten it； nor the thing that it was associated withsomething
tragical which had happened in the big room。 There had been loud； angry voices
of menand shotsand then the men carried out a long form covered with a
blanket。 She loved her father； but there was a side to him she feared。 And
somehow related to that side was his hardness toward Creech and his
intolerance of any rider owning a fast horse and his obsession in regard to
his own racers。 Lucy had often tantalized her father with the joke that if it
ever came to a choice between her and his favorites they would come first。 But
was it any longer a joke？ Lucy felt that she had left childhood behind with
its fun and fancies； and she had begun to look at life thoughtfully。
Sight of the corrals； however； and of the King prancing around； drove serious
thoughts away。 There were riders there； among them Farlane； and they all had
pleasant greetings for her。
〃Farlane； Dad says I'm to take out Sage King；〃 announced Lucy。
〃No！〃 ejaculated Farlane； as he pocketed his pipe。
〃Sure。 And I'm to RIDE him。 You know how Dad means that。〃
〃Wal； no